In autumn, Twisted Lakes in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park are resplendent with amber leaves as the fagus trees start to turn but during the winter months, the scene is more muted – though no less beautiful thanks to the sprinkling of snowflakes on the ground, bare branches and the mossy hues of foliage that can stand the chill.

There’s a stunning spookiness to the vision of Pumphouse Point emerging from the mist on a winter’s day atop Lake St Clair, the deepest lake in the southern hemisphere. The moody moment is best experienced tucked up inside one of the lodge’s cosy rooms (there are six in the land-based Shorehouse and eight in the on-water Pumphouse).

It might not have the name recognition of Cradle Mountain but Barn Bluff is in fact 14 metres taller than its famous counterpart, and is visible from most parts of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. It’s often dusted with snow, even in summer – so dress warmly if you’re planning an ascent.

While hiking to this beautiful spot in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is generally recommended for the warm months, you can appreciate an aerial vista in winter with a scenic flight over the puzzle-piece-shaped waterway.

No, it’s not a board game set up long ago and forgotten by ancient giants. The strangely square pools upon the isthmus that joins Tassie’s Forestier and Turrakana / Tasman peninsulas are actually the result of a rare type of erosion. There’s an eerie atmosphere about them at sunrise and the dimming dusk.

Begin your trek toward the cape’s famed stone columns at the trailhead in Stormlea, a 115-kilometre drive from Hobart. Botanists will get a kick out of the trees changing from stringybark eucalypts to cloud forest then dwarf banksias along the 14-kilometre return trail; anyone will get a thrill walking the cliffside paths.

Summiting this stunning peak on Flinders Island isn’t for the faint of heart – it will take a day to climb the 756-metre-high mountain and make your way back down. But the cardio is worth it: on a blue-sky day, you’ll be able to see across the water to the Tasmanian mainland.

It’s all about perspective. From a lookout, this spectacular bay on Tasmania’s east coast cuts a sapphire blue curve into rugged bush. Up close, the ‘wineglass’ appears rimmed with golden sand and brims with the kind of turquoise water you’d think was tropical. Find the view on a half-day walk.

Like a tiny circular sea fringed by quartzite sand and walled by the imposing Denison Ranges, Lake Rhona is a remarkable sight. The lake can only be reached by an overnight hike and you’ll have to wade across the Gordon River (check the conditions first) and clomp through a plain of buttongrass before you get there – but the trek is definitely worth it.

Walk 15 minutes along the South Esk River from the centre of Launceston city and you’ll come across huge rock cliffs that open into a magnificent gorge and natural basin. The green space is now replete with swim spots, elegant Victorian gardens and a restaurant, as well as raw bushland, wildlife and spectacular views.

Tassie grows things old and big and at this valley of the giants, a 1.5-hour drive from Hobart, you’ll walk among some of the tallest trees on the planet – including one 84-metre-tall swamp gum called Gandalf’s Staff. A remote place of bright green moss, tangled roots and soaring trunks, it’s easy to imagine the Styx Valley as the woodland home of faeries and sprites. 

You’ve probably come for the island’s gourmet reputation but you can’t leave without an eyeful of the isthmus that holds the northern and southern bits of Bruny together. Once you’ve got the classic photograph from the lookout, wander down to the sand – you might spot a pack of fairy penguins waddling along the shoreline. 

Nature’s fury and majesty do a dance along an astonishing stretch of coastline south of Pirates Bay. Inside a dramatic 60-metre-deep cauldron of rock, the ocean boils with such aggression that it’s been named Devil’s Kitchen. Meanwhile, a nearby rock formation called Tasman Arch spans the water with natural grace.

This picturesque bay was named for the fires belonging to Indigenous people that Captain Tobias Furneaux saw burning along the shore as he sailed in 1773. But you’d be forgiven for guessing it was named for the bright lichen that splatters grey granite rocks along the white sand beach, hedging the sea with blazing orange.  

At the end of splendid Godfreys Beach, right next to the pretty throwback town of Stanley, rises a 143-metre-high, sheer-sided bluff called The Nut. This lonely, odd-looking lump of rock is all that remains of an ancient volcanic plug – the rest eroded away as if it knew it didn’t belong in the otherwise smooth landscape. 

It’s 65 metres high, thin as a needle and battered relentlessly by the waves at Cape Hauy on the Turrakana / Tasman Peninsula. But “The Tote” isn’t fragile. This stranded sea stack has made the toughest rock-climbers cry. Simply getting to the base is an epic effort; scaling its height guarantees bragging rights for life. Not up for it? Wave at climbers from the water on a boat or kayak tour instead.

Despite being an easy 10-minute walk through glorious temperate rainforest, this natural wonder remains something of a hidden gem. The archway was formed by sinkholes, which still exist on either side of the fern-covered rock.

It’s impossible to pinpoint one spot in takayna / Tarkine you should explore; after all, it covers 477,000 hectares of temperate rainforest. There are groves of pine, myrtle and leatherwood; glorious lookouts over the wild expanse; and impressive natural sinkholes that reflect the ancient landscape. First-time visitors will benefit from following the Tarkine Drive to the highlights.

Though Nelson Falls is one enormous cascade, it splinters off into dozens of trickling waterfalls as it makes its way down the rockface. The boardwalk to get there is only 1.4 kilometres return (most of it is wheelchair accessible) and takes you through cool rainforest and alongside a pretty river.

This is a wonder best visited when the sky is gloomy and the heavens have opened: after rain, the two-tiered waterfall is at its most impressive. Combine a day trip here from nearby Stanley with a walk to the Big Tree, an enormous eucalypt almost 17 metres in diameter.

Snorkelers, suit up. Tasmania is a surprisingly rich seam for underwater adventure and this spot, occupying 731.8 hectares of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel is an aquatic wonderland. Nutrient-rich seawater from the southern ocean mixes with tannin-rich river water, creating a unique environment for an array of red seaweeds, sponge gardens, fish and invertebrates you’d usually have to venture into much deeper water to see.

This six-kilometre circuit walk in the Derwent Valley region delivers on the promise of its name, taking you from the park’s visitor centre to Russell Falls, Horseshoe Falls and finally, Lady Barron Falls. Along the way you’ll wander through temperate rainforest, encounter geological wonders and see deceptively named swamp gums – the world’s tallest flowering plant.

21 Magical Moments to Have in Tasmania